Remembering Elizabeth “Liz” Lapovsky Kennedy: A Visionary in Women’s Studies
Elizabeth Kennedy speaks at the Dec. 8, 2004, groundbreaking ceremony for the Women's Plaza of Honor at the University of Arizona.
The College of Social and Behavioral Sciences honors the life and legacy of Elizabeth “Liz” Lapovsky Kennedy, professor emerita and longtime head of the Department of Women’s Studies, now Gender and Women’s Studies in the School of Global Studies.
Kennedy was a pioneer of women’s studies, founding one of the country’s first academic programs at SUNY Buffalo in 1971, where she helped establish the field through scholarship focused on gender, class, sexuality, and race.
In 1998, Kennedy joined the University of Arizona as head of what is now Gender and Women’s Studies in the School of Global Studies. There, she expanded the department and helped advance new academic programs and national initiatives. Her commitment to mentoring future scholars was reflected in her later collaboration with former student Agatha Beins on Women’s Studies for the Future: Foundations, Interrogations, Politics.
Elizabeth Kennedy, second from left, with attendees at the groundbreaking ceremony for the Women's Plaza of Honor at the University of Arizona on Dec. 8, 2004.
Kennedy was instrumental in establishing the Women’s Plaza of Honor—one of her most enduring contributions to the University of Arizona—a gathering place that publicly and permanently celebrates women who have made significant contributions to the history of Arizona or have enriched the lives of others. As part of the project, she created opportunities for students to document and share the stories of honorees nominated by donors.
The initiative inspired widespread community engagement, prompting former University of Arizona President Peter Likins to describe it as “not just a campaign—it was a movement.”
“Liz created a movement to ensure women who made a difference in Tucson, Arizona, the Southwest and across the nation were recognized in the Plaza,” said Ginny Healy, executive director of development and alumni engagement. “U.S. Supreme Court Justices Sandra Day O’Connor and Ruth Bader Ginsburg are just two examples. She had such an impact.”
A lifelong advocate for social justice and anti-racism, Kennedy made significant contributions to LGBTQ and lesbian history and was an active participant in the GWS Anti-Racism Taskforce.
Kennedy authored several books, including Feminist Scholarship: Kindling in the Groves of Academe, and Boots of Leather, Slippers of Gold: The History of a Lesbian Community. The latter received the Jesse Bernard Award for the best book on women in sociology, the Ruth Benedict Award for the best book on a gay or lesbian theme in anthropology, and a Lambda Literary Award, among other honors. With Perry Kennedy, she completed The Wounaan Trilogy (2015), and “rematriated” the materials on which the films were based to Wounaan communities in Colombia’s Chocó Department.
She is remembered for her scholarship, leadership, generosity, and commitment to expanding opportunities for women, LGBTQ people, and other marginalized communities.
“Liz was a visionary scholar, teacher, institution-builder, and community leader whose work profoundly shaped the fields of gender and women’s studies nationally and at the University of Arizona,” wrote Eithne Luibheid, professor and director of Gender and Women’s Studies in the School of Global Studies. “Her care, energy, courage, and transformative vision touched countless students, colleagues, friends, and community members whose lives were enriched by knowing and working with her.”
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